Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL;DR
- YouTube is testing a new feature that automatically downloads recommended Shorts for offline viewing.
- The downloaded Shorts will appear in the Smart Downloads section in the YouTube app.
- The limited-time feature is available for YouTube Premium members on Android.
YouTube’s Smart Downloads feature can come in clutch at times when you don’t have an active internet connection, as it automatically downloads recommended videos for offline viewing. YouTube is now testing Shorts support for the feature for those who prefer binging on short-form videos on the platform.
Smart Downloads support for YouTube Shorts is now available as part of a limited-time experiment for YouTube Premium users. It’s an opt-in feature that you can enable by heading to the Your Premium benefits section in the YouTube app and selecting the Try experimental new features option.
Once set up, the feature will automatically download recommended Shorts based on your recent usage. The downloaded Shorts will appear within the Downloads section on your profile page under Smart Downloads.
Although YouTube has just started testing the feature widely, it seems Smart Downloads support for Shorts has appeared for some users previously. According to a user report on Reddit, the feature first popped up back in April. However, we suspect YouTube may have run a limited test at the time before pushing it to more users.
Smart Downloads for Shorts is available for all YouTube Premium members on Android until July 15. YouTube could bring it back based on user feedback, so you should try it out if you want to get your fix of Shorts when offline.
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